Today, I finally got to see my good friend for the first time in six months. We’ve texted and talked on the phone sporadically over the intervening months, but today we were able to walk & talk and sit & visit for almost two hours. It did my soul (and hers) a lot of good. You see, she quit her job to care for her elderly mother. It’s been a harrowing 12 months as she sorted out her mom’s situation, modified her own house to make it accessible for her mom, then moved her mom in with her. (I also got to stick my head in the door to say hi to her mom, too!). Hopefully, we’ll be able to visit again, soon.
One thing we both realized during COVID is that life is short. Having to be cooped up with minimal contact with the outside world isn’t healthy. We’d both rather take our chances and go live than continue the way things have been the past two years. It’s high time we stepped back and took a breather. The elementary school where we both once worked together will continue on without us.
Earlier today, I was mindlessly watching assorted YouTube videos when one about Simple Living caught my attention. I listened to the gentleman, then went and watched a couple of his other videos. He’s absolutely correct – all you really need is food, clothing, shelter, a sense of purpose and a sense of community. The sense of purpose can be paid employment, volunteer work or something else, but you need a reason to get out of bed every morning. It should also be something that makes you happy. The community needs to be a group of folks that you look out for, who will also look out for you. This can include family, friends and others you meet – but your “friends” on social media probably won’t be there for you if you find yourself in a jam at 3 a.m. My friend is one of the folks who will be there for me whenever I call. No questions asked. I’ll happily do the same for her.
Come Stitch With Me, LLC 